Page 76 of Under the Mistletoe
An hour later, she would bet good money that he was regretting agreeing to anything as he stood in the sheep pen that took up one side of a large wood barn. The place wasn’t huge, just enough for a half dozen goats, a miniature donkey, a horse, and a very unruly sheep that Logan held on a short lead in a partially successful effort to control it.
The animal tugged and pulled, then started smacking his head into Logan’s thigh for sport. “What happened to the sheep that were here before?”
“We sold them. We thought Hamilton here had the same temperament, but…”
Logan shifted his position, but the beast matched his movement, swinging his head repeatedly.
“Eventually he does relax. I was hoping he’d like you enough to let you lead him, but that doesn’t look like the case.” Mr. Miller propped his foot on the lowest rung of the pen fence.
“Nope.” Logan winced as sheep connected again.
“But we can’t have him wandering around with the kids.”Thud. Devin cringed. That one had to hurt.
“Not a chance. You or another adult would need to stand guard here.” Mr. Miller took the sheep, then let Logan exit before taking it off the lead. “I can’t do it because I’ll be walking the miniature donkey around. And the missus will be at the horse’s stall, helping the kids feed him carrots.”
Devin ran her hand over the palomino’s nose, then took a step closer to the goat pen a few feet away. “And the goats?”
“They’re great with crowds. We can let them wander.” Then he motioned to a mini stage at the end of the barn. “You can set up the live Nativity there. What else do you have planned? A story?”
“The kids are going to take turns dressing as characters.” But she’d been so busy planning everything else she hadn’t really thought beyond that.
“Sounds cute.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “Excuse me, I need to take this.”
As soon as he stepped away, Devin gripped Logan’s arm. “What do you think?”
“I think the kids would love it, but if things went wrong…”
That’s what she was afraid of. Her phone rang in her pocket. She pulled it out. Heather Barlow. She glanced at Logan, and he nodded. “You better take that.”
Devin stepped a few feet away. “Hello?”
“Hey, Devin, this is Heather Barlow. Would you have a moment to swing by?”
“Sure, what’s up?” Devin didn’t miss the strain in the woman’s voice.
“I think I’ve found your Jesus-napper.”
Devin’s eyes flicked to Logan. “Logan and I will both come over.” Because if Easton was involved, then just maybe Logan would have better luck talking with him.
But twenty minutes later, as they stared in the eyes of the Jesus-napper it wasn’t Easton. Alani sat on the couch with wide blue eyes, staring up at them with nearly a dozen baby Jesus figurines piled on the coffee table.
Devin sat next to Alani and pointed to the pile. “Can you tell me why you took all of them?”
Alani ducked her head, then looked back at Devin. “My mom used to say if I needed anything, Jesus would help me.”
“What did you want Him to help you with, sweetheart?”
The little girl leaned in and dropped her voice to a whisper. “Help me find a mommy.”
She smoothed the girl’s dark-blond hair back. “But you are going to get a mommy.”
Alani’s gaze darted to Heather, then back. “A mommy that sings to me and cuddles me at bedtime. I wantmymommy back.”
Devin’s heart broke. When she was young, she’d longed for those things too. But sometimes even good mommies didn’t do that. Pulling Alani into her arms, Devin squeezed her tight. She had been so busy giving these kids experiences, when what they really wanted for Christmas was that same thing Devin had always wanted. Just to feel seen and loved. Most of all, they wanted hope.
Right then and there, she had zero doubt she wanted to do the live Nativity. And it wasn’t going to be just one more event. She would tell them a story about another child who didn’t have a home. A child whose birth made it possible for all of them to belong.
She glanced at the Barlows, but they were quietly talking. No doubt they had heard Alani. Maybe if Devin was better at her job, she’d know how to help them. Her gaze flicked to Logan, who was sitting with the two boys. Then again, maybe God’s plan for these kids was just unfolding.
